Adorning the balconies of many migrational households in Germany, the satellite dish is often an immediate signifier of buildings with high Turkish or Arab residents. While many migrational households rely on satellite programming to maintain a connection with their native culture, from the street view outside, the image of the satellite studded facade is commonly considered an eyesore linked to “De-integration.”
The intention of Satellite is to re-think the cultural associations of satellite dishes in the urban landscape and to question whether staying linked to one’s cultural heritage, via media and television programming, is representative of a disconnection from the larger cultural community.
By physically linking satellite dishes from building exteriors in temporary site-specific installations and photographically documenting the process, the art project proposes a re-interpretation of the symbolism of a the satellite as a mode of cultural connection rather than disassociation.
The Satellite art project and exhibition has been kindly supported by the Intercultural Projects funding of the Senatskanzlei Berlin.
